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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rest — a break
  4. firm — decided
  5. object — an aim
  6. march — the month
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — to protest
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. march — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. object — a thing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bear — the animal

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