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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: fan · bore · roll · perch · leaves · lash · root · straw

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. roll — a cake
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bore — to drill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. root — of a word
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a list
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — gave birth

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