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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: lash · rock · net · mine · pound · season · stem · bay

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. season — in sport
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mine — for digging
  6. net — after costs
  7. stem — to come from
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. net — in sport
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. net — for catching
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rock — music
  24. season — of the year

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