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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · fan · ruler · bore · stem · nail · ball · stand

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ball — a dance
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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