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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. tube — a container
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. band — a ring
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. band — a music group
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bore — to drill
  19. spell — magic
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — letters
  24. stem — a stem cell

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