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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to tire
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. staff — employees
  7. ground — crushed
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — to drill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. ground — the earth
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. face — to confront
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stand — to bear
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. face — to point toward

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