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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bore — to drill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — shares
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stock — goods
  14. row — to paddle
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — decided
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wax — to grow
  23. firm — a company
  24. cabinet — ministers

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