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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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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: mark · row · pit · toast · sharp · deal · club · tear

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pit — a hole
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. tear — to rip
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. toast — bread
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. club — for golf
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pit — in a race
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. club — a group
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. tear — from crying
  23. row — a line
  24. club — for dancing

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