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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. object — a thing
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hand — help
  10. current — happening now
  11. net — for catching
  12. current — electric
  13. net — in sport
  14. object — an aim
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — to protest
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hand — in cards
  20. net — after costs
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. straw — dry grass

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