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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. firm — steady
  5. present — a gift
  6. firm — a company
  7. row — a line
  8. perch — the fish
  9. court — for sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. court — of law
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pop — music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. court — of a king
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pop — soda

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