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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: root · leaves · content · clip · lash · bay · face · rash

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — of a plant
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. content — happy
  7. face — part of the head
  8. clip — a video
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. clip — for paper
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. rash — hasty
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. face — to point toward
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rash — a series

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