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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — army training
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. firm — steady
  6. march — music
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. can — a tin
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mug — a face
  15. firm — a company
  16. row — a line
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mine — for digging
  21. drill — a practice
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mug — a cup
  24. chip — for betting

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