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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: scale · dip · bear · row · wave · bowl · tear · board

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. row — a line
  12. dip — to sink
  13. scale — in music
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wave — of the sea

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