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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rock — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. tear — from crying
  15. cue — for pool
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. press — to push
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rock — a stone
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pound — to hit hard

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