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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. object — a thing
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. object — to protest
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rest — a break
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bass — low music
  13. object — an aim
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — music
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rock — a stone
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bass — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rest — what's left
  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