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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tear — to rip
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. root — the cause
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. root — of a word
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. race — a contest
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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