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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mine — for digging
  9. chest — a box
  10. root — the cause
  11. lean — thin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. object — an aim
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. lean — to bend
  23. club — for golf
  24. current — of water

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