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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rule — government
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. perch — the fish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — for a bird

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