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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: stick · lean · plane · bear · lash · club · arm · root

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — for golf
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. plane — a tool
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. arm — part of the body

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