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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. wound — an injury
  3. foot — a measure
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. key — in music
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. content — happy
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wound — an injury
  19. key — the most important part
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. content — the amount
  23. stand — to bear
  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