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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: pop · racket · row · kid · perch · firm · object · bear

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. kid — to tease
  5. object — an aim
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — to protest
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. perch — the fish
  14. row — to paddle
  15. kid — child
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. firm — a company
  19. row — a line
  20. firm — decided
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pop — music
  24. firm — steady

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