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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. can — to be able to
  5. squash — to crush
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spring — of water
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spring — the season
  14. march — the month
  15. bark — to shout
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spring — a coil
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — to bear
  21. march — the month
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. march — music
  24. row — a quarrel

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