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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stem — to come from
  4. key — in music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — clever
  16. key — the most important part
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — for a lock
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — to tire

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