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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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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: deal · lie · trunk · chair · saw · rash · root · snap

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rash — a series
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. root — the cause
  8. chair — a leader
  9. lie — to recline
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — hasty
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. root — of a plant
  19. deal — to handle
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — of a word
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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