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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 · season · kid · lean · craft · chest · lash · lie

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. kid — child
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. craft — boats
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. season — of the year
  12. chest — of your body
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. kid — to tease
  22. season — in sport
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — to recline

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