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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. last — finally
  4. object — an aim
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rock — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. game — wild animals
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rock — a stone
  15. last — to go on
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. game — a match
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. row — a line

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