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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · stem · rest · suit · deal · bore · branch · wound

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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. deal — a big deal
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bore — to tire
  17. tear — from crying
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rest — a break
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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