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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. craft — boats
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — clothes
  10. craft — a skill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bat — the animal
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. perch — the fish
  24. board — a flat piece

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