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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — to protest
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. row — a line
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. object — a thing

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