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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — in cards
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fork — in a road
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. snap — to click
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. press — a publisher
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — to fit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. perch — for a bird

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