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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. kid — to tease
  8. current — happening now
  9. row — a line
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lean — thin
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — all right
  21. kid — child
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bowl — a dish

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