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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. root — the cause
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. row — a line
  11. rule — a law
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rule — government
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. plane — a tool
  18. root — of a word
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a plant
  21. row — to paddle
  22. snap — to click
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lash — to lash out

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