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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. kid — to tease
  16. board — a committee
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fall — the season
  19. content — happy
  20. board — to get on
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. kid — child
  24. vault — a safe

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