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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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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tear — to rip
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — music
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — clever
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rock — a stone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rock — music
  20. stem — to come from
  21. march — the month
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  24. sharp — exactly

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