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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: craft · lash · perch · stem · temple · root · saw · rule

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. root — the cause
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — boats
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rule — government
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. craft — a skill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rule — a law
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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