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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
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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: wake · ruler · wave · last · fan · sharp · club · perch

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. last — finally
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. last — to go on
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — a trail
  19. club — a group
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. last — final
  24. club — for dancing

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