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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — in sport
  5. march — the month
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to click
  8. net — after costs
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. root — the cause
  11. fine — all right
  12. march — music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. net — for catching
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. root — of a word
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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