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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: cap · root · lash · lean · rock · wave · tube · stock

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. tube — a container
  6. cap — a hat
  7. root — the cause
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stock — goods
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. root — of a word
  16. stock — shares
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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