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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tear — to rip
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rule — a law
  7. tear — from crying
  8. suit — in cards
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. tear — from crying
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — to fit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — government
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — clothes

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