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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: perch · stem · mate · row · snap · fine · toast · rock

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stem — to come from
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. toast — bread
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mate — to breed
  10. row — a line
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rock — music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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