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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · lash · root · clip · charge · wound · lean · rock

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wound — an injury
  3. root — the cause
  4. charge — a price
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — electricity
  8. clip — a video
  9. spring — the season
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. charge — in control
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. clip — to cut
  17. lean — to bend
  18. spring — of water
  19. rock — a stone
  20. clip — for paper
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rock — music

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