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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a word
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — the cause
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bass — low music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bass — the fish

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