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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: bore · net · cue · lash · bulb · root · spring · spell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. net — after costs
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spell — letters
  6. root — the cause
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spring — of water
  11. bore — to tire
  12. root — of a word
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. spell — magic
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spell — a short time

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