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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — an aim
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mine — for digging
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. object — a thing
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. object — to protest
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. rock — music
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. perch — the fish

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