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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: track · march · rock · pit · pitcher · lash · tube · row

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rock — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. tube — a container
  9. march — music
  10. row — a line
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. march — the month
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. track — to keep track
  18. row — to paddle
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. track — a song
  22. rock — a stone
  23. track — a path
  24. pitcher — a jug

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