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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. firm — steady
  2. can — to be able to
  3. march — the month
  4. stem — to come from
  5. season — in sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — of the year
  8. tear — from crying
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. tube — a container
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tear — to rip
  18. march — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. firm — a company
  22. march — the month
  23. can — a tin
  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