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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: present · stick · pitcher · nail · lash · stem · bore · lean

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. present — there
  19. lean — thin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lean — to bend

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