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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 116 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. row — to paddle
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a path
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — music
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. track — to keep track
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. row — a line
  23. rock — a stone
  24. can — a tin

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