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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. row — a line
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rock — music
  10. content — happy
  11. rest — what's left
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chest — of your body

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