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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pop — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. row — a line
  7. object — an aim
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. staff — a stick
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. pop — to visit
  14. craft — boats
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. object — to protest
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pop — soda
  21. object — a thing
  22. swing — in golf
  23. craft — a skill
  24. swing — music

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