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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. roll — a list
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. current — happening now
  8. ground — a position
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. current — of water
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. foot — a measure
  13. roll — a cake
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ground — crushed
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. current — electric
  24. nail — for a hammer

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