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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. track — a path
  5. object — to protest
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. rest — what's left
  12. snap — to click
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. track — a song
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rest — a break
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. root — of a word
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rest — what's left
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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