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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: perch · fine · root · rock · wind · present · snap · bay

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. root — of a word
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rock — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. root — the cause
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. present — there
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to click
  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