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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. scale — in music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — to rob
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. row — a line
  7. mug — a face
  8. band — a music group
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. saw — the tool
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rush — hurry
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. band — a ring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. leaves — of a tree

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