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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mug — a face
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. object — an aim
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — certain
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bore — to drill
  18. march — music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mug — a cup
  24. object — to protest

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