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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. net — in sport
  6. club — for golf
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stock — goods
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. saw — the tool
  14. net — for catching
  15. rock — music
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. club — a group
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — after costs
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stock — shares
  22. stem — to come from
  23. saw — the tool
  24. club — for dancing

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