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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bore — to drill
  5. tube — a container
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. firm — decided
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. firm — a company
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — steady
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. sharp — clever
  16. root — of a word
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — the cause
  20. bore — to tire
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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