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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. current — of water
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. net — in sport
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. net — after costs
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. degree — from a university
  12. current — happening now
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rock — a stone
  18. net — for catching
  19. lean — to bend
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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