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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: lash · shower · nail · pop · lie · root · fine · chair

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. root — of a word
  3. pop — music
  4. chair — a leader
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — the cause
  12. pop — soda
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. shower — rain
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chair — to sit on

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