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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — there
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bore — to drill
  23. present — a gift
  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