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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rule — a law
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rule — government
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bulb — for light
  21. row — a line
  22. present — there
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. perch — the fish

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