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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: stick · cue · wound · rock · row · bore · foot · capital

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — to drill
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. foot — a measure
  12. capital — money
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rock — music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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