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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: mine · lie · row · current · suit · bore · scale · lean

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lean — to bend
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bore — to tire
  5. scale — in music
  6. current — of water
  7. row — a line
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. current — electric
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — happening now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lean — thin

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