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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. root — of a word
  3. march — the month
  4. lean — thin
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to bend
  8. present — the time now
  9. march — music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. present — there
  12. pit — in a race
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. root — the cause
  15. pitch — completely
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. present — a gift
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. march — the month
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — a hole

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