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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. branch — a division
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. capital — a city
  11. rule — government
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. squash — to crush
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mark — a grade
  21. capital — money
  22. root — of a word
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — a law

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