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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. clip — a video
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fine — all right
  10. present — there
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bound — certain
  13. face — to confront
  14. row — a line
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rock — music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stand — to bear
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rock — to move gently

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