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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — clothes
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rash — hasty
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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