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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pass — a permit
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pop — soda
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. court — of law
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. court — for sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. court — of a king
  17. pop — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a great time

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