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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. land — a country
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. kid — child
  19. land — ground
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — the fish
  22. kid — to tease
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. dip — to dunk

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