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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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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — a stick
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bark — to shout
  14. staff — employees
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. root — the cause
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. root — of a word
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. staff — employees
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — the most admired

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