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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rock — music
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. row — to paddle
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the animal

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