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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. snap — to click
  5. game — a match
  6. root — of a plant
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. scale — size or range
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. game — wild animals

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