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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wake — a trail
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. row — a line
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lean — thin

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