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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mate — a friend
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stock — shares
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stock — goods
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. current — electric
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — in a prison

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