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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pit — a hole
  3. tear — to rip
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — for a lock
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pit — in a race
  8. shower — rain
  9. root — the cause
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. shower — to wash
  17. root — of a word
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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