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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: drill · bore · key · mouse · row · stand · stem · land

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. land — a country
  10. row — to paddle
  11. land — to come down
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. row — a line
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — for a lock
  19. land — ground
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — in music

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