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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: wave · sharp · mark · jam · bear · lean · row · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lean — thin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bore — to drill
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. row — a line
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mark — a trace
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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