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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. band — a ring
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bore — to tire
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — in cards

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