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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. land — ground
  4. root — of a word
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. land — to come down
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — a company
  12. toast — bread
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. land — a country
  15. staff — employees
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. firm — steady
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. root — the cause
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — of a plant

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