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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — clothes
  3. snap — to click
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — in sport
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. file — a document
  14. board — a committee
  15. file — a line of people
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a tool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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