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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — a lid
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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