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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chip — for betting
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ground — a position
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — to paddle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. hide — animal skin

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