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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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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: sharp · object · saw · spring · snap · suit · perch · lean

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. suit — to fit
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — the tool
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lean — to bend
  12. spring — of water
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — clothes
  15. object — to protest
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — the season
  21. snap — to click
  22. spring — a coil
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. sharp — with an edge

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