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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: object · can · mark · ball · tear · stand · mate · stem

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — a partner
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mark — a grade
  13. object — an aim
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mark — a trace
  20. object — a thing
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mate — a friend
  24. can — a tin

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