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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: leaves · dip · snap · band · stem · lash · root · toast

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. dip — to sink
  12. snap — to click
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. band — a ring
  20. toast — bread
  21. root — of a word
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. band — a music group

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