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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. current — happening now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mug — a face
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a cup
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. perch — the fish
  19. row — a line
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mug — to rob
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. arm — part of the body

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