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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. staff — employees
  6. band — a ring
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. staff — employees
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — to bear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a line
  19. saw — the tool
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. prune — to trim
  22. band — a music group
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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