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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — the cause
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. current — of water
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. current — happening now
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. date — the fruit
  16. current — electric
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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