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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bear — the animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bound — tied together
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. swing — music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. perch — the fish
  24. calf — a young animal

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