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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bank — for money
  6. clip — to cut
  7. cue — a hint
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. can — a tin
  12. clip — for paper
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a signal
  15. club — for golf
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. clip — a video
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. cue — for pool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bank — of a river
  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