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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. sharp — clever
  4. staff — employees
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. bore — to tire
  17. staff — a stick
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. field — farmland
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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