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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: hand · hide · cabinet · pass · row · straw · bore · plane

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — help
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. hand — in cards
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — a line
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — a permit
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — to succeed

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