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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.

Words on the sheet
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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. drill — a practice
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. root — of a word
  6. drill — army training
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. key — in music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. root — the cause
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. key — for a lock
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — a break
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. key — the most important part

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