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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tear — from crying
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — an aim
  13. tear — from crying
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. snap — to click
  18. pass — a permit
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. march — music
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — for light

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