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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 120 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: cap · root · mark · lash · band · sharp · pitcher · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mark — a trace
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. band — a music group
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — high quality
  20. band — a ring
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fine — a penalty

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