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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. charge — a price
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wake — a trail
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — to bend

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