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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. firm — a company
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — clothes
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wind — moving air
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. suit — in cards
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — a sick person

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