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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. tear — to rip
  3. root — of a word
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. firm — steady
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. track — a path
  13. root — of a plant
  14. firm — decided
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. march — music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. tear — from crying
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wound — an injury
  23. root — the cause
  24. firm — a company

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