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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: pop · bore · staff · snap · stick · bowl · stem · patient

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pop — soda
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pop — music
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. snap — to click
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bore — to drill
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. staff — employees

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