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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. band — a ring
  3. row — to paddle
  4. mate — a friend
  5. hand — help
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mug — a face
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — a partner
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mug — a cup
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lean — thin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mate — to breed

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