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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. track — to keep track
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. root — of a word
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. track — a song
  24. nail — for a hammer

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