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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mark — a trace
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — boats
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. root — of a word
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. root — the cause
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chair — a leader
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ball — a round shape

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