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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pop — music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mug — a face
  6. pop — to visit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. row — a line
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. can — a tin
  12. board — a committee
  13. perch — the fish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pop — soda
  17. sharp — clever
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — to get on
  23. mug — a cup
  24. sharp — exactly

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