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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. tear — to rip
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — a position
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. craft — boats
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rush — hurry
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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