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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · wake · bore · racket · capital · rock · nail · date

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. date — the fruit
  5. capital — a city
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wake — a trail
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rock — music
  13. row — a line
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. capital — money

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