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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fine — all right
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — a thrill

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