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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: bay · bulb · lash · stem · track · rash · lie · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rash — a series
  6. track — a path
  7. rash — hasty
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. track — to keep track
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. track — a song
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — on the skin

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