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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. present — the time now
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bound — certain
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. present — a gift
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. present — there

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