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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. net — for catching
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bass — low music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — in sport
  8. last — finally
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. last — to go on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. face — to point toward
  14. object — an aim
  15. net — after costs
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bass — the fish
  21. last — final
  22. wake — a trail
  23. object — to protest
  24. perch — the fish

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