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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. row — a line
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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