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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 · nail · file · season · mine · bay · pound · lash

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. file — a document
  9. mine — for digging
  10. root — of a word
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. root — the cause
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. file — a tool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  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