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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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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: band · wake · object · root · cell · lash · lie · bowl

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cell — in biology
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. root — of a word
  10. lie — to recline
  11. band — a ring
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. band — a music group
  16. object — to protest
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. root — the cause
  21. cell — a phone
  22. object — a thing
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. object — an aim

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