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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. current — of water
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cap — a lid
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cap — of ice
  20. current — electric
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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