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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: stem · scale · nail · net · bore · stand · tube · row

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. row — a line
  4. stem — to come from
  5. tube — a container
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. row — to paddle
  11. net — after costs
  12. scale — in music
  13. net — for catching
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bore — to tire
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. net — in sport
  21. scale — size or range
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. tube — the underground

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