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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rock — music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. sharp — clever

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