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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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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: wake · stem · bay · deal · roll · mug · season · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. roll — a cake
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mug — a face
  7. tear — from crying
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. season — of the year
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. roll — a list
  18. tear — from crying
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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