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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. row — a line
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. club — a group
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. club — for golf
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mark — a trace
  24. row — a quarrel

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