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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · row · pop · wake · ruler · arm · can · present

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — there
  5. row — to paddle
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. present — the time now
  12. pop — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — soda
  18. wake — a trail
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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