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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fall — the season
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. row — a line
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mate — to breed
  8. root — the cause
  9. fall — to drop
  10. root — of a plant
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — for betting
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. root — of a word
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mate — a partner
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. nail — on a finger

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