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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bore — to tire
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stem — to come from
  8. deal — to handle
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stock — shares
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stock — goods
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lean — thin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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