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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: pitcher · bore · snap · stem · rock · toast · wound · patient

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bore — to drill
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. snap — to click
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. rock — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rock — a stone
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. toast — bread
  22. wound — an injury
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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