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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cap · bore · present · can · stem · straw · temple · fine

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. present — a gift
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fine — all right
  7. present — there
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cap — a lid
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. can — a tin
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cap — a hat
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bore — to tire
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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