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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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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: safe · root · tear · arm · date · lash · racket · pop

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. date — the fruit
  5. tear — from crying
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. root — the cause
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a word
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pop — soda
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pop — music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tear — to rip

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