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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. tear — to rip
  6. field — farmland
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. field — for sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. field — a subject
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bark — to shout
  24. tear — from crying

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