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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. kid — child
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bore — to drill
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kid — to tease
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. row — a line
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wind — moving air

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