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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: root · bound · bass · dip · season · wax · stand · lash

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — to sink
  6. root — the cause
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. season — in sport
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. season — of the year
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. season — to add flavour

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