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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. root — of a plant
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fork — in a road
  11. content — the amount
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. root — of a word
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. content — happy
  22. root — the cause
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fork — to eat with

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