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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.

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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mate — a partner
  7. root — the cause
  8. march — the month
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. march — the month
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a word
  18. march — music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rest — a break
  24. mate — a friend

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