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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. file — a line of people
  3. root — the cause
  4. file — a document
  5. root — of a plant
  6. shower — rain
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. staff — employees
  11. root — of a word
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tear — from crying
  16. staff — employees
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tear — from crying
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tear — to rip

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