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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mark — a grade
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lie — to recline
  12. board — to get on
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. perch — the fish
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — a committee

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