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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. root — of a word
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. spring — of water
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. press — to push
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. root — the cause
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spring — a coil
  21. craft — boats
  22. spring — the season
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bass — the fish

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