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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. race — the arms race
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kid — to tease
  6. row — a line
  7. object — to protest
  8. kid — child
  9. track — a path
  10. object — an aim
  11. track — a song
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. object — a thing
  14. race — a contest
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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