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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 120 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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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: row · can · mouse · fan · squash · lean · mark · bowl

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. row — to paddle
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. row — a line
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mark — a grade
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. can — to be able to

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