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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bore — to tire
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bore — to drill
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stock — shares
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — thin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lean — to bend
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stock — goods
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stock — a soup base

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