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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — the tool
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. root — the cause
  15. rest — a break
  16. drill — army training
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. drill — a practice
  22. prune — to trim
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. prune — to trim

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