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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cell — a phone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. tear — to rip
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tear — from crying
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cell — in a prison

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