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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bass — low music
  3. root — the cause
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fine — high quality
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. root — of a word
  8. fine — all right
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — to be able to
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bass — the instrument

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