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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lean — to bend
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ball — a dance
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lean — thin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a great time

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