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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lean — to bend
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lean — thin
  6. net — in sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. roll — a list
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — for catching
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. net — after costs
  17. roll — a cake
  18. sharp — clever
  19. row — to paddle
  20. perch — the fish
  21. row — a line
  22. mug — a face
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mug — to rob

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