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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 ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lean — thin
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lean — to bend
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. race — humankind
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. file — a document
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. file — a tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — the cause

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