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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. squash — the sport
  3. chest — of your body
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — in cards
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chest — a box
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. can — to be able to
  14. perch — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. capital — money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. capital — a city
  22. squash — to crush
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — to fit

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