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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. row — a line
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. branch — a division
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. spring — of water
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. spring — the season
  19. deal — to handle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. branch — of a bank

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