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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bear — the animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. board — a committee
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — from crying
  18. track — a path
  19. board — to get on
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. root — of a plant
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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