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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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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 · foot · stem · bulb · bore · pound · march · swing

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stem — to come from
  5. swing — music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cap — a lid
  8. march — music
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. swing — to play on
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. march — the month
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bulb — for light
  24. foot — a measure

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