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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. squash — to crush
  7. dip — to sink
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. root — of a word
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. root — the cause
  14. race — humankind
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. toast — bread
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chair — a leader
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pound — a weight
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. squash — the vegetable

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