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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — a face
  8. pass — a permit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mug — to rob
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mug — a cup
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pit — a hole
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bound — certain
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pit — in a race

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