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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 ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. cap — a lid
  8. present — the time now
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — the cause
  17. mate — a partner
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. present — a gift
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cap — of ice
  23. present — there
  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