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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — a line
  4. rock — a stone
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. craft — boats
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rock — music
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. march — the month
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — a permit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — to spend time

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