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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cell · bowl · nail · bore · lean · row · track · board

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. track — a song
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. track — to keep track
  6. row — a line
  7. lean — thin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — a committee
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. track — a path
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. board — to get on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — to bend
  18. row — to paddle
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bore — to drill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. lean — to rest against

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