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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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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: bay · stick · pound · row · board · nail · bore · coach

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — to get on
  12. row — a line
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bore — to drill
  20. row — to paddle
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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