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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. shower — rain
  9. root — of a plant
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — to recline
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — of a word
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — music
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — a stone
  24. date — the fruit

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