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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. squash — the sport
  15. face — to confront
  16. cap — a lid
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bore — to tire
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. face — part of the head
  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