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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. row — to paddle
  13. toast — bread
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. row — a line
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pass — a permit

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