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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 · spell · pitcher · dip · suit · net · hand · root

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. root — the cause
  5. hand — help
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — to fit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — in sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. spell — letters
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. root — of a plant
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. net — after costs

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