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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. root — of a word
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. shower — to wash
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. shower — rain
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. band — a music group
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mine — for digging
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. band — a ring
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. toast — bread

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