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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pop — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. deal — to handle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. firm — a company
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — a break
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — decided
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — steady

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