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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. roll — a cake
  4. board — to get on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. current — happening now
  11. roll — a list
  12. vault — a safe
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rock — a stone
  15. content — the amount
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lean — thin
  22. content — happy
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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