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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. roll — a list
  5. pound — a weight
  6. clip — to cut
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. clip — a video
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a great time
  15. clip — for paper
  16. roll — a cake
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. pound — to hit hard

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