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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. staff — employees
  5. club — for golf
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. saw — the tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — for dancing
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. perch — the fish
  18. row — a line
  19. club — a group
  20. snap — to click
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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