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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: mug · bay · row · rock · roll · scale · spring · wind

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — in music
  5. rock — music
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. roll — a list
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mug — to rob
  13. row — a line
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. spring — of water
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mug — a face
  18. row — to paddle
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a cup

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