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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 124 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.

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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. net — in sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. file — a document
  5. net — for catching
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. degree — temperature
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. degree — from a university
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. degree — an amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — of a word
  18. file — a line of people
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. file — a tool
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. net — after costs

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