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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — in golf
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. perch — the fish
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. stock — goods
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. swing — music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. snap — to click

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