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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 116 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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kick — in football
  12. root — of a word
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. net — in sport
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — after costs
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. root — of a plant
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. net — for catching
  24. stem — 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