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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: patient · land · lean · root · bay · cap · track · lash

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — a country
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cap — a hat
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lean — thin
  20. track — to keep track
  21. root — of a word
  22. track — a song
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lean — to bend

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