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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bore — to drill
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. kid — child
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lean — to bend
  11. root — the cause
  12. press — to push
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. root — of a word
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lean — thin

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