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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. deal — to handle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — of a word
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. field — farmland
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. root — the cause
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. field — a subject
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chair — a leader
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. root — of a plant

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