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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mug — a face
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a line
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rock — music
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. racket — for tennis

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