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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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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: arm · stem · bore · racket · lie · coach · row · jam

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. row — a line
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bore — to drill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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