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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. land — a country
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. root — the cause
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. sharp — clever
  14. spring — the season
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. root — of a word
  22. spring — of water
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a trace

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