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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: scale · arm · mouse · row · stick · snap · perch · pound

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. perch — the fish
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — a weight
  7. row — a line
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — in music
  22. snap — to click
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mouse — the animal

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