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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spell — a short time
  3. hand — in cards
  4. clip — for paper
  5. root — the cause
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. clip — a video
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. spell — magic
  17. cue — a signal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hand — help
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — boats
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spell — letters
  24. clip — to cut

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