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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: safe · stem · patient · last · bore · court · fork · lie

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — to recline
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. last — to go on
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — final
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. court — of law
  19. last — finally
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bore — to tire

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