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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — a law
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tear — from crying
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — a division
  12. rule — government
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. tear — from crying

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