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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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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 · foot · pass · coach · root · chest · cap · rest

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cap — a lid
  3. root — of a word
  4. chest — a box
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — of ice
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — a break
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chest — of your body

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