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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. row — a line
  12. file — a line of people
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. file — a document
  15. fine — high quality
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pop — soda
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fine — all right
  24. wave — with your hand

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