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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. net — in sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rest — a break
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rule — government
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. net — after costs
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. hand — help
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — for catching
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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