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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: pitch · lie · nail · bore · bear · present · track · stem

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. track — a song
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bear — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a path
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — gave birth

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