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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bass — the fish
  7. tear — from crying
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. roll — a list
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — to bear
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bass — low music
  24. safe — a strongbox

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