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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mine — for digging
  3. suit — clothes
  4. field — for sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — to protest
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. row — a line
  9. field — farmland
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tear — from crying
  13. field — a subject
  14. bank — of a river
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. object — a thing
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tear — from crying
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — an aim

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