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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  3. pit — a hole
  4. last — finally
  5. pit — in a race
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. last — to go on
  15. bass — low music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. last — final
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pop — music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bass — the fish
  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