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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. row — a line
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. face — to confront
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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