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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. degree — temperature
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — the season
  14. degree — an amount
  15. fine — all right
  16. row — a line
  17. degree — from a university
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fine — high quality
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fall — to drop

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