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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: stick · root · prune · wind · suit · date · bay · lash

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wind — moving air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. root — of a word
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wind — moving air
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. prune — to trim
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. date — the fruit
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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