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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 124 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — of a plant
  4. chest — of your body
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. chest — of your body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — the season
  11. saw — the tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a word
  14. firm — a company
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chest — a box
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. root — the cause

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