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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bore — to tire
  8. net — after costs
  9. fine — high quality
  10. net — for catching
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. net — in sport
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. perch — the fish
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fine — all right

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