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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: safe · bore · rock · pop · board · stem · capital · stick

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bore — to tire
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a committee
  12. capital — a city
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. capital — money
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pop — music
  24. rock — a stone

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