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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mark — a grade
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fine — high quality
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. chest — a box
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — all right
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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