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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. roll — a list
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ground — a position
  24. temple — side of the head

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