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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. suit — to fit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rash — a series
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fine — all right
  12. wax — to grow
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fine — high quality
  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