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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. cell — a phone
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a path
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. row — a line
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. kick — in football
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. track — a song
  19. cell — in biology
  20. snap — to click
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bank — of a river

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