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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. row — to paddle
  4. root — the cause
  5. race — a contest
  6. firm — steady
  7. tear — to rip
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. row — a line
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — a company
  17. pass — a permit
  18. root — of a word
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. tear — from crying
  22. firm — decided
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — to eat with

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