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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mate — to breed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mate — a partner
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com