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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. drill — army training
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. drill — a practice
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. object — a thing
  16. pop — to visit
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — soda
  19. bore — to drill
  20. present — there
  21. pop — music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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