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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: bore · stem · present · ball · pound · coach · bark · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. present — there
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bark — to shout
  13. present — the time now
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bore — to tire
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stem — of a plant

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