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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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468
Word bank
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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 was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — to fit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. tear — from crying
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — clothes
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lie — to recline

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