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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rule — a law
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. craft — boats
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rule — government
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — of a plant

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