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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: wave · date · hide · leaves · lash · toast · stock · root

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. root — of a plant
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. toast — bread
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. root — of a word
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. date — the fruit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. root — the cause

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