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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tear — from crying
  6. key — for a lock
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. march — the month
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. date — the fruit
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. key — in music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. squash — the sport
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. tear — from crying
  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