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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
468
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: march · rock · date · row · object · can · foot · racket

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. row — to paddle
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. object — to protest
  12. row — a line
  13. can — a tin
  14. object — a thing
  15. march — the month
  16. foot — a measure
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — a stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. can — to be able to

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