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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. pop — soda
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pop — to visit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. row — a line
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — in a road
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cue — for pool
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pop — music
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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