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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: fine · band · tube · lash · stick · hand · root · fork

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. band — a music group
  5. root — the cause
  6. hand — help
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fine — high quality
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. root — of a word
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — all right
  20. band — a ring
  21. tube — a container
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tube — in a tire

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