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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. root — the cause
  6. rest — a break
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stock — goods
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — shares
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. tear — from crying

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