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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lean — thin
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — a line
  6. net — for catching
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fine — all right
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — to bend
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. net — in sport
  19. fine — high quality
  20. net — after costs
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lean — to rest against

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