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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.

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: deal · field · scale · row · perch · toast · fan · stem

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. deal — to handle
  9. field — farmland
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stem — to come from
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — bread
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. field — a subject
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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