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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rule — a law
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. march — the month
  10. root — of a word
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. root — the cause
  15. club — for golf
  16. rule — government
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. march — the month
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. march — music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spell — a short time

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