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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 120 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: lie · kid · drill · wave · file · wake · perch · suit

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lie — to recline
  3. file — a tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. drill — the tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — army training
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kid — child
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. perch — the fish
  14. file — a document
  15. suit — clothes
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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