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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. snap — to click
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. current — happening now
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. current — of water
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. row — a line
  14. current — electric
  15. mug — to rob
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mug — a face
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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