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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — of a plant
  4. race — a contest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pass — a permit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. race — humankind
  12. root — the cause
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pass — to succeed

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