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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — the animal
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. net — in sport
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rule — government
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. deal — to handle

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