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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. band — a ring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. band — a music group

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