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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. perch — the fish
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. snap — to click
  10. suit — in cards
  11. march — the month
  12. staff — a stick
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. kick — in football
  22. staff — employees
  23. march — music
  24. staff — employees

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