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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. root — the cause
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — a company
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. capital — money
  8. tear — from crying
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a word
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. snap — to click
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. firm — steady
  24. pass — a permit

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