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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: row · stem · bear · stand · spell · racket · bore · drill

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bore — to drill
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stand — to bear
  11. drill — the tool
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bore — to tire
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bear — the animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stem — a stem cell

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