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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. land — ground
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fall — the season
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. hand — help
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — in cards
  19. land — to come down
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fine — high quality
  23. land — a country
  24. rock — a stone

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