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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stand — to bear
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. shower — rain
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — to get on
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. board — a committee
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. spell — letters
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. shower — to wash
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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