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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. track — to keep track
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. track — a path
  11. pitch — completely
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lean — to bend
  15. staff — employees
  16. lean — thin
  17. staff — a stick
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. row — a line

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