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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. march — the month
  4. shower — rain
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rest — a break
  8. shower — to wash
  9. present — the time now
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. rule — government
  12. march — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rule — a law
  15. tear — to rip
  16. present — there
  17. march — the month
  18. stand — to bear
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rest — what's left
  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