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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 116 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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Word bank
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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: deal · can · bore · stem · mate · ball

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mate — to breed
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mate — a partner
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. can — to be able to
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a great time

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