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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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Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rash — hasty
  3. lie — to recline
  4. tear — to rip
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rash — a series
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stem — to come from

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