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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 120 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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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: row · mate · fall · track · bear · rock · bowl · staff

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fall — the season
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rock — music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. row — to paddle
  8. staff — employees
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. row — a line
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — the animal

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