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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. last — final
  6. row — to paddle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — finally
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. row — a line
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — to go on
  24. tube — a container

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