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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. face — part of the head
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — in music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. charge — a price
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. key — for a lock
  20. face — to confront
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — to point toward
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — a young animal

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