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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fine — high quality
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fine — all right
  5. spell — letters
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — of a word
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. root — the cause
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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