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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — an aim
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. chest — a box
  12. wind — moving air
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chest — of your body
  16. object — a thing
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. object — to protest

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