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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — a break
  5. tear — to rip
  6. staff — a stick
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. perch — the fish
  17. staff — employees
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stem — to come from
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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