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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kid — to tease
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. kid — child
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mate — a partner
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mate — a friend
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — 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