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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a song
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wake — a trail
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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