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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: bore · bay · bowl · pass · hide · sharp · stem · swing

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. swing — music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stem — to come from
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. swing — in golf

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