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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: plane · mark · cold · pit · lash · stem · bound · bore

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cold — not warm
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bound — certain
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — a hole
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pit — in a race
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cold — an illness
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bore — gave birth

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