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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. land — a country
  8. suit — in cards
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitch — completely
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. land — to come down

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