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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chest — a box
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — a line
  8. file — a tool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. drill — army training
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chest — of your body
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chest — of your body
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a line of people
  24. suit — clothes

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