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

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — a gift
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — a line
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. roll — a cake
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a dance
  15. roll — a list
  16. present — the time now
  17. pit — a hole
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pit — in a race
  21. present — there
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — to paddle

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