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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: object · nail · row · rock · capital · track · squash · lie

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. squash — the sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — a thing
  11. lie — to recline
  12. row — a line
  13. object — to protest
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — music
  17. capital — money
  18. track — to keep track
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. row — to paddle
  22. squash — to crush
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — a song

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