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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. ground — the earth
  3. row — to paddle
  4. snap — to click
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. toast — bread
  8. rock — a stone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ground — crushed
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. row — a line
  17. ground — a position
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — music

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