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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. land — ground
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. land — a country
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. land — to come down
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — a tool
  23. root — the cause
  24. bear — to put up with

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