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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. net — after costs
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — for catching
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rock — music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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