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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stem — to come from
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. root — of a word
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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