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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. file — a tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. club — a group
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. file — a document
  10. root — the cause
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. file — a line of people
  17. root — of a word
  18. degree — from a university
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. degree — temperature
  23. club — for dancing
  24. chair — a leader

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