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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rock — a stone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — to keep track
  6. plane — a tool
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — goods
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pop — soda
  16. net — after costs
  17. pop — music
  18. track — a path
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. net — in sport
  21. rock — music
  22. track — a song
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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