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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. court — of law
  4. object — a thing
  5. spring — of water
  6. track — a path
  7. row — a line
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. object — an aim
  12. spring — the season
  13. court — for sport
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bore — to tire
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bore — to drill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — of a king
  23. object — to protest
  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