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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pop — soda
  4. perch — the fish
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wind — moving air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pop — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — the season
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — for golf

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