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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. firm — decided
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stem — to come from
  17. firm — steady
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chair — a leader
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — with your hand

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