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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: bore · board · row · mug · cap · deal · cell · mouse

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. board — a committee
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cell — a phone
  17. row — a line
  18. deal — to handle
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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