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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. spell — a short time
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. spell — letters
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mate — a partner
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spell — magic
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. wake — a trail
  22. snap — to click
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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