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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. clip — to cut
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — of a river
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. clip — a video
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. clip — for paper
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. sharp — exactly

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