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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: lie · file · bank · charge · degree · root · tear · present

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. degree — temperature
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tear — to rip
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bank — for money
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. file — a tool
  17. degree — an amount
  18. root — of a word
  19. file — a document
  20. lie — to recline
  21. present — there
  22. degree — from a university
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bank — of a river

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