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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — a stone
  3. land — a country
  4. cap — a lid
  5. land — ground
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cap — of ice
  8. land — to come down
  9. root — of a word
  10. rock — music
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cap — a hat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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