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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. can — to be able to
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stand — to bear
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. perch — the fish

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