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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tear — from crying
  5. kick — in football
  6. lean — thin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tear — from crying
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rush — hurry
  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