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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rock — music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. snap — to click
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. perch — the fish
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. tube — a container
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stem — to come from
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — a line
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rock — to move gently

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