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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — to come down
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  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