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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. roll — a list
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stem — to come from
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stock — goods
  24. mine — belonging to me

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