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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. bore — to tire
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stock — goods
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stock — shares
  22. wound — an injury
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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