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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 · pound · bay · safe · wind · squash · root · can

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. root — the cause
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wind — moving air
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wind — moving air
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. root — of a word
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. squash — the sport
  24. can — a tin

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