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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. land — ground
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. row — a line
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cue — a signal
  11. land — a country
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — to come down
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cue — a hint
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. tube — the underground
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tube — a container
  24. row — a quarrel

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