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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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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: prune · stem · wake · nail · face · bore · kick · bulb

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. face — to confront
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. kick — in football
  11. face — part of the head
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. kick — a thrill

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