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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · rest · firm · pass · tear · deal

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. 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. rest — what's left
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — of a word
  8. rest — a break
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. root — the cause
  13. tear — to rip
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. 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