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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — to fit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cap — a lid
  9. suit — clothes
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — a tin
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. row — a line
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. degree — from a university
  19. can — to be able to
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. degree — an amount
  24. arm — a part of something

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