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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. root — the cause
  3. bark — to shout
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. root — of a plant
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pop — music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. season — in sport
  16. pop — to visit
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pop — soda
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — of a word

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