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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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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: mug · row · squash · sharp · mark · staff · bank · rock

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. squash — the sport
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — clever
  9. row — a line
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rock — music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bank — for money
  17. rock — a stone
  18. staff — employees
  19. mug — to rob
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. squash — to crush
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — for money

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