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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · fall · tear · perch · staff · racket

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. staff — a stick
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. perch — the fish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tear — to rip
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fall — to drop
  18. 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