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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cap — a lid
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. spring — of water
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. race — a contest
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spring — the season
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. race — humankind
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. spring — a coil

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