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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — obliged
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bound — certain
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. row — a line
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. nail — for a hammer

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