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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: row · pass · last · kid · rock · branch · craft · game

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. branch — a division
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. kid — to tease
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. game — a match
  8. last — finally
  9. rock — music
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. last — final
  13. game — wild animals
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kid — child
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. last — to go on

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