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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. tear — from crying
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. tear — from crying
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — the cause
  9. pop — to visit
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pop — soda
  12. tear — to rip
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pop — music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. chair — a leader
  23. root — of a plant
  24. chair — a professorship

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