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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — a price
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. charge — in control
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ball — a great time
  19. row — a line
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — to bend
  24. temple — a place of worship

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