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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. suit — in cards
  4. snap — to click
  5. row — a line
  6. pit — in a race
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. row — to paddle
  13. club — for dancing
  14. march — the month
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to bend
  18. club — for golf
  19. suit — clothes
  20. march — music
  21. club — a group
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. suit — to fit
  24. perch — for a bird

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