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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bank — of a river
  9. file — a line of people
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kid — child
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — a line
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mate — a friend

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