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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. root — of a word
  12. bark — to shout
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitch — completely
  20. root — the cause
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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