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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: foot · can · lash · safe · root · fan · spring · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — a stick
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — a tin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spring — of water
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. foot — a measure
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. root — of a plant

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