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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chip — for betting
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. field — for sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — the cause
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. snap — to click
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. root — of a word
  24. chip — to eat

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