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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. dip — to dunk
  3. club — for dancing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rush — hurry
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — a company
  14. dip — to sink
  15. club — a group
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. firm — steady
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. row — a line
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. club — for golf
  23. firm — decided
  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