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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. root — the cause
  10. net — in sport
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. net — after costs
  15. bound — obliged
  16. net — for catching
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bulb — of a plant

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