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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: lash · dip · chip · saw · fall · fork · racket · root

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. root — the cause
  4. fall — to drop
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a word
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. chip — to eat
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fall — the season
  23. chip — for betting
  24. saw — the tool

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