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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rock — a stone
  4. clip — to cut
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rock — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. wind — moving air
  19. row — a line
  20. clip — a video
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lean — thin
  24. clip — for paper

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