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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. perch — the fish
  3. net — in sport
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pit — a hole
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — in a race
  11. key — the most important part
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — in music
  14. net — after costs
  15. wax — to grow
  16. key — for a lock
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. net — for catching
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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