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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pop — soda
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pop — music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. plane — a tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. perch — for a bird

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