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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bore — to tire
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. row — a line
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bass — low music
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bowl — a football final

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