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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 120 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. shower — rain
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. root — the cause
  5. tear — to rip
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — of a word
  16. rule — government
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tear — from crying
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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