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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. firm — a company
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a great time
  14. row — a line
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. firm — decided
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — steady

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