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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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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: mouse · bore · coach · rule · pit · swing · bear · stem

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — government
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pit — in a race
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. swing — music
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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