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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: lash · hand · file · leaves · hide · bay · dip · pound

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. file — a document
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. dip — to sink
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. file — a line of people
  19. hand — help
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — to lash out

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