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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. deal — to handle
  3. row — a line
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. object — to protest
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. object — a thing
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth

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