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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 120 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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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: stand · lean · root · stick · object · wax · capital · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stand — to bear
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — the cause
  8. object — a thing
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. capital — money
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. capital — a city
  15. lean — thin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. object — an aim
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. object — to protest

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