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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 120 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — a cup
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. race — humankind
  6. mate — a partner
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — a contest
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mate — to breed
  20. row — to paddle
  21. race — the arms race
  22. snap — to click
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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