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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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