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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. root — the cause
  3. rash — a series
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. tear — from crying
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. object — a thing
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. object — to protest
  16. snap — to click
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — an aim
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. track — a song

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