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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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pop — music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lean — thin
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pop — soda
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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