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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 120 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — there
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. present — a gift
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bore — to tire
  9. court — of a king
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — wild animals
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. present — the time now
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. game — a match
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to drill

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