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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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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 · stem · nail · spell · bay · rush · land · pitch

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. land — to come down
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. spell — magic
  16. land — ground
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. land — a country
  21. spell — letters
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — on a finger

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