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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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Word bank
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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. root — of a plant
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — the cause
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — to bend
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. toast — bread
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — thin
  19. root — of a word
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. drill — army training
  24. coach — a trainer

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