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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pit — a hole
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lean — thin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lean — to bend
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lean — to rest against

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