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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. key — in music
  4. snap — to click
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — the most important part
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — for a lock
  12. craft — a skill
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — boats
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — a trail

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