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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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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: suit · present · dip · bank · wax · tear · fine · stem

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. present — a gift
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stem — to come from
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — in cards
  20. present — there
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — high quality
  23. tear — to rip
  24. present — the time now

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