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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. march — music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. march — the month
  7. stand — to bear
  8. row — a line
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. craft — boats
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rock — music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. march — the month
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — a skill
  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