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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ground — the earth
  3. root — of a word
  4. ground — a position
  5. squash — the sport
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mate — to breed
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mate — a friend
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mate — a partner
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. club — for golf
  18. ground — crushed
  19. club — a group
  20. root — the cause
  21. firm — decided
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rush — hurry
  24. firm — a company

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