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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. march — the month
  6. row — a line
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rest — a break
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. march — the month
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. march — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pound — a weight

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