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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: ball · rush · lean · present · row · fan · band · fine

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. band — a ring
  3. present — the time now
  4. lean — thin
  5. present — there
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a music group
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fine — all right
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. row — a line
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lean — to bend
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lean — to rest against

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