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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 120 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — a permit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stem — to come from
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. staff — employees
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — to rip
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. perch — the fish
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a hint
  24. staff — a stick

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