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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. current — of water
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. current — happening now
  21. prune — to trim
  22. current — electric
  23. row — to paddle
  24. prune — to trim

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