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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: chest · stick · wake · perch · sharp · suit · jam · track

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wake — a trail
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — clothes
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. chest — of your body
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. perch — for a bird

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