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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. drill — army training
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lie — to recline
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. kick — in football
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wave — of the sea

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