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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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468
Word bank
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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rash — hasty
  12. spell — magic
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. root — the cause
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a word
  23. rash — a series
  24. bulb — of a plant

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