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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. press — to push
  7. can — to be able to
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — a break
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — tied together
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. can — a tin
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — a publisher
  22. snap — to click
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rest — what's left

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