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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. shower — to wash
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a trace
  12. suit — clothes
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. spring — the season
  15. last — finally
  16. suit — in cards
  17. last — final
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spring — of water
  20. shower — rain
  21. spring — a coil
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. perch — for a bird

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