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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a dance
  4. row — a line
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. field — a subject
  9. lean — to bend
  10. track — a path
  11. field — for sport
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lean — thin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. field — farmland
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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