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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. toast — bread
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. perch — the fish
  7. row — to paddle
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. chair — a leader
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. row — a line
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. calf — a young animal

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