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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — a face
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bark — to shout
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. prune — the fruit

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