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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stem — to come from
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bore — to drill

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