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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 124 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mark — a grade
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stem — to come from
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. toast — bread
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rule — government
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. shower — rain
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lash — an eyelash

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