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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. current — happening now
  7. perch — the fish
  8. net — for catching
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — in sport
  12. row — to paddle
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. current — of water
  16. net — after costs
  17. bear — the animal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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