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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cell — in biology
  6. root — of a word
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. root — the cause
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. tear — to rip
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cell — a phone
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. tear — from crying

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