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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
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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: roll · bore · wave · present · stem · rest · pitcher · lean

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bore — to tire
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rest — a break
  18. roll — a list
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. present — the time now
  24. pitcher — a jug

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