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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.

Make a worksheet

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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fine — all right
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ground — the earth
  16. tube — the underground
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — a container
  19. ground — a position
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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