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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cold — an illness
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cold — not warm
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — to tire
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — to drill
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cap — a hat

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