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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. stem — to come from
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — happening now
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hand — in cards
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. hand — help
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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