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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. net — in sport
  3. fine — all right
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. net — for catching
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fine — high quality
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. net — after costs
  19. club — for dancing
  20. tube — a container
  21. ball — a dance
  22. root — of a word
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fine — a penalty

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