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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. net — after costs
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. root — the cause
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. root — of a word
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. perch — the fish
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. foot — a measure
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. dip — to sink
  22. net — in sport
  23. root — of a plant
  24. foot — part of the body

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