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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 116 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. object — a thing
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. board — to get on
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. shower — to wash
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. shower — rain
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. row — a line

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