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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. game — a match
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stem — to come from
  24. tear — to rip

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