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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — for golf
  4. land — to come down
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mark — a grade
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bass — low music
  13. lean — thin
  14. land — ground
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. row — a line
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lean — to bend
  22. club — a group
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the instrument

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