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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. row — a line
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pop — music
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pit — in a race
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — to visit
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — soda
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. perch — the fish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hide — to keep secret

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