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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. perch — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rule — government
  7. net — for catching
  8. track — a path
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. drill — a practice
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. suit — to fit
  15. drill — army training
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. net — after costs
  21. drill — the tool
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — in cards
  24. track — a song

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