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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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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: bay · pit · tube · stick · fan · root · fine · lash

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. root — of a word
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. root — the cause
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. tube — a container
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — in a race
  24. tube — in a tire

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