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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cap — a lid
  4. row — a line
  5. band — a music group
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. band — a ring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pound — a weight
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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