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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. race — a contest
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. root — the cause
  6. bear — the animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. race — humankind
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. root — of a word
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. tear — from crying
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. tear — to rip
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. spring — the season
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — the animal

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