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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. net — for catching
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. perch — the fish
  11. net — after costs
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. net — in sport
  24. row — a quarrel

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