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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wind — moving air
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. perch — the fish

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