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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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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: track · rock · fan · chair · fine · wave · perch · pit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rock — a stone
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — in a race
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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