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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 124 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. board — to get on

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