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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: dip · bay · stem · fall · tube · bore · mark · bear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stem — to come from
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — a container
  20. fall — to drop
  21. tube — the underground
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fall — the season

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