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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bound — certain
  4. bark — to shout
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fan — a supporter

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