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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: row · bore · fine · nail · rest · stand · stock · perch

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stock — shares
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — goods
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. row — to paddle

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