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

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. fall — to drop
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stand — to bear
  13. sharp — clever
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. roll — a cake
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — for spectators

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