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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. track — a path
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — a song
  7. rock — music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — there
  12. club — a group
  13. stem — to come from
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. present — a gift
  20. rock — a stone
  21. present — the time now
  22. stock — shares
  23. club — for golf
  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