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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. root — of a word
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bore — to drill
  10. prune — to trim
  11. object — an aim
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. root — of a plant
  21. object — to protest
  22. root — the cause
  23. object — a thing
  24. bore — to 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