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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. content — happy
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — a trail
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. content — the amount
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bark — to shout

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