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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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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — of a word
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. march — the month
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — to fit
  19. march — music
  20. root — of a plant
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. root — the cause
  24. march — the month

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