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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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. dip — to sink
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wake — a trail
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — the tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. club — for golf
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bulb — for light

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