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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: leaves · snap · pit · wound · suit · present · perch · swing

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. swing — to play on
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — in cards
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. suit — clothes
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pit — a hole
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. present — there
  20. pit — in a race
  21. present — a gift
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wound — an injury
  24. swing — in golf

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