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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: stem · bore · current · rash · present · rock · kid · rest

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rock — a stone
  4. present — a gift
  5. rash — a series
  6. current — happening now
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. present — the time now
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. kid — child
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bore — to tire
  17. present — there
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bore — to drill

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