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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — music
  17. degree — temperature
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. row — a line
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. degree — an amount
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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