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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — in control
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — steady
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — the most important part
  16. charge — electricity
  17. press — to push
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. key — in music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. key — for a lock
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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