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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mug — a face
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. kid — child
  7. mug — to rob
  8. perch — the fish
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rock — a stone
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. row — a line
  23. wind — moving air
  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