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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. band — a ring
  13. rest — a break
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — what's left
  19. row — a line
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stock — shares
  23. band — a music group
  24. stock — goods

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