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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bore · key · snap · bear · present · stock · stem · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stock — shares
  5. bore — to tire
  6. present — there
  7. key — in music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. present — the time now
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. key — for a lock
  15. present — a gift
  16. stem — to come from
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stock — goods
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bear — the animal

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