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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. pop — music
  3. root — the cause
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — to recline
  6. root — of a plant
  7. present — there
  8. tear — from crying
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — to be able to
  11. drill — army training
  12. rule — a law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tear — from crying
  15. root — of a word
  16. pop — to visit
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — a practice
  19. present — a gift
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — the tool

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