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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: wave · leaves · track · foot · bore · row · trunk · chair

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — a leader
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bore — to tire
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bore — to drill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. track — to keep track
  16. row — a line
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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