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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 120 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: stem · board · bore · mug · pop · bat · bear · lash

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — a face
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pop — music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — soda
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pop — to visit
  24. board — a committee

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