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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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Word bank
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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: lash · clip · fan · bulb · bore · root · lie · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. root — of a word
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bore — to tire
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bore — to drill
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. root — the cause
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bulb — for light
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. clip — for paper
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lie — an untruth

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