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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — a law
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pop — music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pop — to visit
  11. root — of a word
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fine — all right
  15. pop — soda
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rule — government
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kick — in football
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rule — to rule out

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