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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 116 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: bat · lash · root · mine · safe · wake · bark · cue

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. wake — a trail
  10. root — the cause
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wake — before a funeral

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