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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. root — of a word
  3. rock — a stone
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — the cause
  7. tear — from crying
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tear — to rip
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. root — of a plant
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rock — music
  24. charge — a price

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