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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chest — a box
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — clothes
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. degree — an amount
  12. stem — to come from
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. root — the cause
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a word
  24. degree — temperature

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