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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 112 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. shower — rain
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. season — in sport
  10. lean — to bend
  11. row — a line
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. season — of the year
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. craft — a skill
  24. shower — to wash

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