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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 116 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — a cup
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. plane — a tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mate — to breed
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. perch — the fish
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mug — a face
  19. mate — a partner
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. key — the most important part
  22. sharp — clever
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mate — a friend

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