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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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 — an eyelash
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. club — for golf
  6. root — of a word
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. club — for dancing
  16. root — the cause
  17. cell — in biology
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. club — a group
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cell — a phone
  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