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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. shower — rain
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pop — soda
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. net — for catching
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. net — in sport
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. firm — steady
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fine — all right
  15. net — after costs
  16. bore — to tire
  17. firm — a company
  18. pop — to visit
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. firm — decided

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