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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. tear — from crying
  4. season — in sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. club — for golf
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stem — to come from
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. club — a group
  14. tear — from crying
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bulb — for light
  17. toast — bread
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. season — of the year
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stem — of a plant

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