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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bore — to drill
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. toast — bread
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. press — newspapers
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cold — an illness
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. press — to push
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — the Cold War

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