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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. band — a ring
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — the cause
  11. vault — a safe
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. track — a song
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. band — a music group
  19. bulb — for light
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. root — of a word
  24. band — a rubber band

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