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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. net — after costs
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. face — part of the head
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — for catching
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mark — a grade
  20. net — in sport
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. jam — in traffic

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