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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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — happy
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — employees
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — a stick
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. prune — to trim
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — employees
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. root — of a plant
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. racket — for tennis

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