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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. root — of a word
  5. mate — a friend
  6. root — the cause
  7. hand — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rash — a series
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. mate — a partner
  13. firm — steady
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hand — help
  16. firm — a company
  17. clip — to cut
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mate — to breed
  22. clip — a video
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bay — a horse colour

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