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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — a gift
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. present — there
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rule — government
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bore — to drill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. present — the time now
  24. bowl — a football final

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