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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — a break
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rule — government
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — what's left
  24. arm — a part of something

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