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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 120 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mug — a cup
  4. shower — rain
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — a stone
  7. band — a music group
  8. shower — to wash
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. row — to paddle
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. band — a ring
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. band — a rubber band

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