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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: board · suit · bore · craft · mate · row · stem · swing

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — to fit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stem — to come from
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bore — to tire
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — boats

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