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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. charge — in control
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. charge — a price
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stem — to come from

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