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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. press — to push
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — ground
  9. club — for dancing
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. tear — to rip
  12. land — a country
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. land — to come down
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. club — for golf
  18. foot — a measure
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. tear — from crying
  21. club — a group
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tear — from crying
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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