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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: lash · dip · toast · band · root · wind · bay · face

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a ring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. dip — to sink
  5. wind — moving air
  6. toast — bread
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wind — moving air
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. root — of a word
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. face — to confront
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. band — a music group
  24. dip — to dunk

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