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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — a measure
  4. root — of a plant
  5. drill — army training
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. drill — a practice
  13. row — a line
  14. bat — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. tear — from crying
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. drill — the tool
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pass — a permit

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