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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: bore · bulb · stem · arm · stand · roll · bat · pass

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bore — to drill
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bat — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — to bear
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — a part of something
  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