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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rock — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. fine — all right
  15. roll — a cake
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. roll — a list
  21. row — to paddle
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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