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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to click
  7. press — a publisher
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. spell — letters
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. press — to push
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. spell — magic
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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