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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: chair · track · wake · rock · prune · perch · lie · row

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — a stone
  3. perch — the fish
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rock — music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. row — a line
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lie — to recline
  14. track — a song
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — to trim
  18. track — a path
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wake — a trail

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