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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: perch · pitcher · can · row · pop · saw · content · ball

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pop — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. content — the amount
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. can — a tin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. content — happy
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a great time

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