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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.

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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — of a word
  9. track — a song
  10. shower — rain
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cap — a lid
  14. track — a path
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — of ice
  20. root — of a plant
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cue — a signal

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