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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. track — a song
  3. fall — the season
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. perch — the fish
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. current — of water
  10. fall — to drop
  11. track — a path
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wake — a trail
  16. current — happening now
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — electric
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. cue — for pool
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fall — to drop

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