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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. content — happy
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chair — a leader
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. swing — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. face — to confront
  16. fine — all right
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. content — the amount
  20. face — part of the head
  21. root — the cause
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fine — high quality

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