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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wound — an injury
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. object — to protest
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. wound — an injury
  7. perch — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. object — an aim
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. object — a thing
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. swing — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wake — before a funeral

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