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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 rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for golf
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. craft — boats
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pass — a permit
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — of water
  15. bound — obliged
  16. spring — the season
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rock — a stone
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — for dancing

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