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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stock — shares
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kid — child
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stock — goods
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — to come from
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a document
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mate — a friend
  18. file — a line of people
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kid — to tease
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. file — a tool

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