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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. firm — steady
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ball — a great time
  9. firm — decided
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — a company
  24. lie — to recline

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