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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: roll · board · suit · ground · stem · bore · mate · straw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. board — to get on
  4. mate — a friend
  5. roll — a cake
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ground — crushed
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. ground — a position
  12. roll — a list
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mate — a partner

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