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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — a stone
  3. row — to paddle
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. band — a ring
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. row — a line
  10. track — a path
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a song
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rest — what's left
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. band — a music group
  19. rest — a break
  20. prune — to trim
  21. scale — in music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rush — hurry

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