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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bore — to tire
  7. prune — to trim
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — money
  10. bank — for money
  11. capital — a city
  12. prune — to trim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stem — to come from

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