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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stock — goods
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. present — there
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wind — moving air
  22. present — a gift
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. scale — in music

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