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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: bore · present · stem · mouse · mark · court · jam · can

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — to come from
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mark — a grade
  16. court — of law
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. present — the time now
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — there
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. court — of a king
  24. bore — to tire

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