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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. root — of a word
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. root — of a plant
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. lean — thin
  10. season — in sport
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — to bend
  13. toast — bread
  14. mark — a trace
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mark — a grade
  20. sharp — clever
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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