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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: mug · leaves · bear · scale · kid · mark · row · pop

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mug — a face
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mark — a trace
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. row — a line
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. scale — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pop — soda
  17. kid — child
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mark — a grade
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mug — to rob
  24. leaves — lets stay

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