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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. club — a group
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. club — for golf
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. stem — to come from
  15. tear — to rip
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a match
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bay — a horse colour

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