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

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. root — of a word
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. file — a line of people
  8. root — of a plant
  9. file — a tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. root — the cause
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. content — the amount
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chest — of your body
  21. file — a document
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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