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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pop — soda
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. field — for sport
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. field — a subject
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. field — farmland
  24. shower — rain

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