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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. tube — a container
  4. root — the cause
  5. mark — a grade
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kick — in football
  15. squash — the sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mate — a friend

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