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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.

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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: pound · root · row · rule · perch · current · hide · object

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. row — a line
  4. rule — a law
  5. current — of water
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — a thing
  8. root — the cause
  9. perch — the fish
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pound — a weight
  12. current — electric
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. current — happening now
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. root — of a plant
  18. object — to protest
  19. row — to paddle
  20. root — of a word
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rule — government
  23. object — an aim
  24. rule — to rule out

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