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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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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: nail · bore · charge · arm · shower · bulb · wave · stock

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — rain
  12. stock — shares
  13. shower — to wash
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — goods
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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