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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: bank · craft · lie · root · lash · lean · court · wax

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. court — of law
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lean — thin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — boats
  15. wax — to grow
  16. court — of a king
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lie — an untruth

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