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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. snap — to click
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hide — animal skin

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