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

Word bank: saw · snap · tear · safe · lean · present · stem · capital

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. lean — to bend
  3. present — there
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. capital — money
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. stem — to come from
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. saw — the tool
  17. capital — a city
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. saw — the tool
  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