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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. perch — the fish
  3. row — to paddle
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. mug — a cup
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. swing — music
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. row — a line
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a word
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mug — a face
  21. root — the cause
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pass — a permit
  24. row — a quarrel

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