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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rock — a stone
  4. current — happening now
  5. shower — rain
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. key — in music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — the most important part
  13. current — of water
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cue — a signal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — electric
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rock — music
  24. cue — a hint

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