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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — a stone
  7. band — a ring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. row — a line
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. leaves — to go away

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