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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 124 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. pop — soda
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. row — a line
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fall — to drop
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — a skill
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — boats
  23. pop — music
  24. rush — a thrill

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