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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lean — thin
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. tube — a container
  11. clip — to cut
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. clip — a video
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rock — music
  24. row — a line

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