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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. key — in music
  3. root — the cause
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. root — of a plant
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. kick — in football
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. root — of a word
  15. cell — in biology
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ground — crushed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cell — a phone
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ground — a position
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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