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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: snap · stem · calf · object · key · bore · march · rash

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rash — a series
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. march — the month
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. key — in music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. key — for a lock
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. key — the most important part
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rash — hasty
  23. snap — to click
  24. object — an aim

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