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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 120 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 · firm · bulb · rock · coach · nail · row · ball

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ball — a dance
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — for light

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