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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. saw — the tool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — to come from
  18. tear — to rip

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