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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: spring · object · can · calf · root · date · spell · tear

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. spell — a short time
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — a tin
  8. object — a thing
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. date — the fruit
  12. spring — the season
  13. root — of a word
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. spring — a coil
  16. object — to protest
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — of water
  19. root — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. root — the cause

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