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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. spring — of water
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fall — the season
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spring — the season
  8. stock — shares
  9. key — the most important part
  10. row — a line
  11. key — in music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mine — for digging
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. stock — goods
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stand — for spectators

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