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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — in football
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rash — hasty
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bore — to tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bore — to drill
  20. file — a document
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — of ice
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kick — with a leg

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