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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. scale — in music
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rock — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. degree — an amount
  12. scale — size or range
  13. suit — clothes
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. row — to paddle
  22. degree — from a university
  23. row — a line
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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