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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stem — to come from
  4. spring — a coil
  5. current — electric
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mate — a friend
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spring — of water
  20. scale — in music
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to tire
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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