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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: tube · roll · fall · calf · tear · last · pass · root

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. tube — a container
  3. tear — to rip
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — from crying
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — a permit
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — to go on
  11. fall — to drop
  12. root — of a word
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tear — from crying
  15. roll — a list
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — the season
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. last — final

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