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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fine — high quality
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — all right
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ground — a position
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. root — the cause

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