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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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — to keep track
  7. deal — to handle
  8. prune — to trim
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pass — a permit
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. spring — of water
  22. row — a line
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pass — to spend time

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