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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 116 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. tear — to rip
  3. game — wild animals
  4. root — the cause
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. march — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tear — from crying
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. march — the month
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. game — a match
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. tear — from crying
  24. game — a kind of play

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