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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. perch — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. face — to confront
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mug — a face
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rest — a break
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mug — to rob

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