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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fork — in a road
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. perch — the fish
  10. firm — decided
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. mine — for digging
  20. toast — bread
  21. pound — a weight
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. roll — a cake
  24. wave — of the sea

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