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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rash — a series
  13. bore — to tire
  14. game — wild animals
  15. craft — boats
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. board — a committee
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bark — to shout
  24. game — a match

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