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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. date — the fruit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. perch — the fish
  15. snap — to click
  16. row — a line
  17. board — to get on
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pound — a weight
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. board — a committee
  24. fan — a supporter

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