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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · lean · mine · wave · bore · stem · board · bulb

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lean — thin
  4. drill — army training
  5. board — a committee
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — to get on
  24. wave — with your hand

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