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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · ball · bay · toast · bass · lean · lash · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — thin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. toast — bread
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bass — low music
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bass — the fish
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — to bend

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