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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: stem · rule · mouse · rest · wave · lean · game · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lean — thin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — government
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. game — a match
  14. rest — a break
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mouse — 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