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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pop — music
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. firm — decided
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — steady
  15. swing — in golf
  16. row — a line
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. firm — a company
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. swing — music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pop — soda
  24. bass — the instrument

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