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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. row — to paddle
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. face — to point toward
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. face — to confront
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. row — a line
  23. prune — to trim
  24. straw — dry grass

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