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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: rest · lie · spell · nail · stem · hide · pit · tear

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — in a race
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. tear — to rip
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — to recline
  15. spell — letters
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rest — a break
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — an untruth

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