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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. spring — the season
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. spring — of water
  11. rule — government
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. key — in music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rule — a law
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — the most important part
  20. row — a line
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pitcher — a jug

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