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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — a friend
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — in music
  16. toast — bread
  17. charge — a price
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — in control
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stem — a stem cell

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