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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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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: rest · foot · bore · scale · drill · wave · stock · pop

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pop — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — soda
  7. scale — in music
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stock — goods
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stock — shares
  19. scale — size or range
  20. drill — army training
  21. bore — to tire
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rest — a break
  24. foot — a measure

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