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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 116 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. race — a contest
  3. root — of a plant
  4. race — the arms race
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. spring — the season
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. spring — of water
  10. root — the cause
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. race — humankind
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a dance

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