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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mine — for digging
  12. chip — for betting
  13. root — of a word
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rest — a break
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mine — belonging to me

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