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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. row — a line
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. nail — for a hammer

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