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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: spring · leaves · firm · current · roll · row · bore · wax

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. firm — decided
  3. spring — of water
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bore — to drill
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. spring — the season
  18. current — electric
  19. firm — a company
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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