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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wake — a trail
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — the cause
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — to eat

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