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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — to come from
  5. present — a gift
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. field — farmland
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cue — for pool
  13. present — there
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. field — a subject
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. cue — a hint
  20. field — for sport
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cue — a signal
  23. face — to confront
  24. court — for sport

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