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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wound — an injury
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spring — of water
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spring — the season
  23. perch — the fish
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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