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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. root — of a word
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rash — a series
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mate — a friend
  12. march — the month
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rash — hasty
  15. root — the cause
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — a partner
  21. march — the month
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. march — music
  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