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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · swing · rule · season · firm · root · foot · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — in sport
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. firm — decided
  10. root — of a word
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rule — a law
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — to play on
  18. season — of the year
  19. root — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. root — the cause

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