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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wake — a trail
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitch — completely
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. key — in music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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