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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. degree — from a university
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tear — to rip
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. degree — temperature
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. snap — to click
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. tear — from crying

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