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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. perch — the fish
  5. firm — a company
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. track — a song
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. firm — decided
  24. track — a path

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