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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bore — to drill
  4. scale — in music
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bound — certain
  8. bore — to tire
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. board — to get on
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. row — a line
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bound — tied together
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. board — a committee
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bound — obliged
  23. row — to paddle
  24. kick — in football

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