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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fine — all right
  6. tube — a container
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fine — high quality
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — bread
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. staff — employees
  24. shower — to wash

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