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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — for digging
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rash — a series
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rash — hasty

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