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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — a price
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. charge — electricity
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — steady
  12. degree — temperature
  13. firm — decided
  14. fine — all right
  15. wake — a trail
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. firm — a company
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. row — a line
  24. hide — to keep secret

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