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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bore — to drill
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stand — to bear
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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