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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.

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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — of a word
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rule — a law
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. tube — a container
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rule — government
  17. root — the cause
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. tube — in a tire

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