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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. branch — a division
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mug — to rob
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. sharp — clever
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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