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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. kick — in football
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. tear — to rip
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pass — to succeed

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