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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: racket · pound · wake · can · face · perch · cap · snap

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cap — a lid
  4. snap — to click
  5. wake — a trail
  6. face — part of the head
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. face — to confront
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cap — a hat
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cap — of ice
  24. perch — the fish

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