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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. file — a document
  9. pop — soda
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — final
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — hurry
  17. last — to go on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. last — finally
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. perch — the fish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — to visit

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