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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. object — to protest
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — a cup
  5. scale — in music
  6. mug — a face
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. object — a thing
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. object — an aim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cell — a phone
  24. scale — size or range

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