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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. tear — from crying
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. stem — to come from
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — in sport
  24. pass — to spend time

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