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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: lie · tear · mark · squash · firm · jam · perch · stem

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. tear — from crying
  14. firm — steady
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — a company
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tear — from crying
  20. perch — the fish
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. squash — the vegetable

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