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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 116 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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. tear — from crying
  11. present — a gift
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — the time now
  15. tear — to rip
  16. snap — to click
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. sharp — clever
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. present — there
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — to come from
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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