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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 120 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: lash · rest · root · ground · mug · cue · lean · bay

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cue — a hint
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. root — of a word
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — a position
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rest — a break
  21. root — the cause
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ground — the earth

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