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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: root · chip · nail · lash · tear · wax · bay · toast

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. toast — bread
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tear — from crying
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. wax — to grow
  15. root — of a word
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. chip — for betting
  23. tear — from crying
  24. chip — to eat

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