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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. march — music
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. march — the month
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — the cause
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stand — to bear
  18. march — the month
  19. tear — from crying
  20. root — of a word
  21. mark — a grade
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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