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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. root — of a plant
  3. court — for sport
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. court — of law
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — the cause
  12. swing — music
  13. root — of a word
  14. court — of a king
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. craft — a skill
  18. swing — to play on
  19. craft — boats
  20. swing — in golf
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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