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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. root — of a word
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fine — high quality
  6. plane — a tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. cue — a signal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — all right
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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