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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 120 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: pit · bass · rock · fan · stem · nail · bore · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mug — a face

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