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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rock — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. tube — a container
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. lash — an eyelash

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