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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. row — to paddle
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fork — in a road
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bass — the fish
  14. row — a line
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — a penalty

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