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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. club — for golf
  6. rash — hasty
  7. club — for dancing
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rash — a series
  10. branch — a division
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a path
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. row — a line
  20. club — a group
  21. track — a song
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — a young animal

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