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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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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: snap · field · row · rock · deal · trunk · mark · pass

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. row — to paddle
  6. field — farmland
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rock — a stone
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. snap — to click
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. row — a line
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rock — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. field — a subject
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. field — for sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. trunk — of a car

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