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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. chest — of your body
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. board — a committee
  12. chest — a box
  13. branch — a division
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. tube — the underground
  17. board — to get on
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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