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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bore — to drill
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cell — a phone
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. row — a line
  8. club — for golf
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. vault — a safe
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cell — in biology
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bore — to tire
  24. club — a group

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