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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. swing — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lean — thin
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. race — a contest

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