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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pound — a weight
  3. craft — boats
  4. bank — for money
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bank — of a river
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — to breed
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kick — in football
  19. mate — a partner
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. row — a line

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