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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rule — government
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. object — an aim
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rule — a law
  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