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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mate — to breed
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. perch — the fish
  5. charge — a price
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lie — to recline
  9. season — of the year
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mate — a friend
  13. object — a thing
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mate — a partner
  17. object — an aim
  18. charge — electricity
  19. object — to protest
  20. season — in sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. key — for a lock
  24. charge — in control

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