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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 120 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
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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: bowl · row · hide · rash · mine · mate · press · perch

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. row — to paddle
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mate — a partner
  11. press — to push
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mate — to breed
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — a publisher
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. row — a line
  23. rash — a series
  24. mine — for digging

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