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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. root — of a word
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. foot — a measure
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — music

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