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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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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: stand · dip · row · root · lash · plane · bay · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — of a word
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lash — an eyelash

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