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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. file — a tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. file — a document
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — to rip
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. file — a line of people
  17. key — the most important part
  18. root — of a word
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cell — a phone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cell — in biology
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — clothes

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