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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. board — to get on
  7. fall — to drop
  8. foot — a measure
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — a break
  16. board — a committee
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fall — the season
  22. rest — what's left
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fall — to drop

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