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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. row — a line
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — in music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fall — the season

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