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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. net — after costs
  4. root — of a word
  5. net — in sport
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. row — a line
  8. chair — a leader
  9. track — a song
  10. root — the cause
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fine — all right
  17. lie — to recline
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. track — a path
  24. bowl — to roll

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