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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. scale — in music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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