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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pop — soda
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rock — music
  5. branch — a division
  6. row — a line
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a line of people
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a document
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pop — music
  21. file — a tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — a stone

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