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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: bowl · date · ball · row · board · craft · stem · bore

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bore — to drill
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. board — a committee
  5. stem — to come from
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. craft — boats
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. craft — a handicraft

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