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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · net · rock · wake · mouse · pop · bay · lean

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rock — music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pop — soda
  7. lean — thin
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — a stone
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pop — to visit
  17. net — for catching
  18. pop — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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