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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. track — a song
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — to trim
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. track — a path
  13. charge — in control
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. track — to keep track
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. charge — electricity
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bound — tied together
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bound — certain
  24. prune — to trim

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