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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. track — a song
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. track — a path
  5. field — for sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mug — a face
  12. season — in sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — a subject
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — a line
  21. tube — the underground
  22. field — farmland
  23. tube — a container
  24. pitcher — a jug

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