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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. row — a line
  3. roll — a cake
  4. row — to paddle
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. craft — a skill
  8. roll — a list
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — a division
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pop — soda
  18. season — of the year
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pop — to visit
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — music

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