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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. file — a tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. file — a line of people
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. root — the cause

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