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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. root — the cause
  9. foot — a measure
  10. hand — in cards
  11. root — of a word
  12. race — humankind
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. race — the arms race
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — help
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. race — a contest
  24. trunk — of a car

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