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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. root — of a plant
  6. track — to keep track
  7. net — after costs
  8. bank — of a river
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — in sport
  11. root — the cause
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a word
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. track — a song
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. net — for catching

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