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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. shower — rain
  3. dip — to sink
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. net — after costs
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. root — of a word
  14. net — in sport
  15. shower — to wash
  16. staff — employees
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — the cause
  19. toast — bread
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — for catching
  24. staff — a stick

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