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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — to rip
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. cue — a hint
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — the tool
  22. shower — rain
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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