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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. firm — decided
  8. root — the cause
  9. snap — to click
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — temperature
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. degree — from a university
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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