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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. swing — in golf
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — a line
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. swing — music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — a trail
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wake — before a funeral

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