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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. firm — a company
  4. current — of water
  5. row — a line
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — music
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — decided
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fork — in a road

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