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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: leaves · wake · jam · tube · cue · wave · perch · craft

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cue — a hint
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tube — the underground
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cue — for pool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. craft — boats
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wake — a trail

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