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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 116 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: deal · wake · lash · mark · ball · dip · branch · root

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. root — of a word
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wake — a trail
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. root — the cause
  18. ball — a great time
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. root — of a plant

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