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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · mate · pitch · bore · toast · race

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. race — humankind
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stem — to come from
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bore — to drill
  9. toast — bread
  10. race — a contest
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitch — completely

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