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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 124 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — an aim
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — of a word
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. row — a line
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. object — to protest
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. craft — boats
  20. bound — certain
  21. pitch — completely
  22. object — a thing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. row — a quarrel

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