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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — thin
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — the cause
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. degree — temperature
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — of a word
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. degree — from a university
  16. can — a tin
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lie — to recline
  20. can — to be able to
  21. degree — an amount
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ruler — a monarch

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