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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. row — to paddle
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. present — there
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. present — a gift
  10. track — a song
  11. pop — music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. row — a line
  14. pop — soda
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a path
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. track — to keep track

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