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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bound — certain
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fork — to eat with

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