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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. row — a line
  7. net — after costs
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — in sport
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. row — to paddle
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. net — for catching
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bore — to tire

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