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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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. stand — for spectators
  4. object — to protest
  5. can — to be able to
  6. suit — in cards
  7. net — after costs
  8. spring — of water
  9. ground — crushed
  10. suit — to fit
  11. net — in sport
  12. row — a line
  13. stand — to bear
  14. can — a tin
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. object — an aim
  18. net — for catching
  19. ground — the earth
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — a coil
  23. ground — a position
  24. object — a thing

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