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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
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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: straw · row · net · wake · roll · mark · leaves · bay

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mark — a grade
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. roll — a list
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. net — after costs
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wake — a trail
  17. row — to paddle
  18. net — for catching
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a line
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. roll — a cake

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