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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — a safe
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cap — a hat
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bore — to tire
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bore — to drill

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