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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bear — the animal
  3. row — to paddle
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — in sport
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. scale — size or range
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. scale — in music
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. shower — to wash
  21. row — a line
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bear — to put up with

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