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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: pass · fall · pitcher · mouse · last · suit · stem · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — to go on
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. pass — to succeed

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