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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — steady
  3. club — for dancing
  4. row — a line
  5. season — in sport
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — a stone
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — in cards
  11. season — of the year
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. club — for golf
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. firm — a company
  18. club — a group
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. row — to paddle
  23. rock — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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