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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · row · foot · suit · toast · perch · pound · pitch

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. toast — bread
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. row — to paddle
  7. foot — a measure
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rush — hurry
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pound — a weight
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. perch — the fish
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — to fit

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