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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. fork — in a road
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bore — to tire
  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