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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.

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: content · lash · coach · root · lean · club · dip · fan

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — of a plant
  4. club — a group
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — for dancing
  8. content — happy
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — the amount
  14. lean — thin
  15. club — for golf
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. coach — a trainer

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